Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image bearing member;
• and
• a protective layer forming unit which comprises:
• a protective agent supplying member which rotatably contacts a surface of the image bearing member;
• and an image bearing member protective agent,
• wherein the image bearing member protective agent comprises a metal salt of a fatty acid and an inorganic lubricant,
• wherein the protective agent supplying member comprises:
• a core material;
• and a foam layer formed on an outer periphery of the core material and comprising a plurality of cells, and
• wherein drive torque of the image bearing member and drive torque of the protective agent supplying member satisfy Formula (1) below:
• 1.47×10−4≦[(A1+B1)−(A0+B0)]/L[N·m/mm]≦1.96×10−3 Formula (1)
• where:
• A0 represents drive torque (N·m) of the image bearing member during image formation when the image bearing member and the protective agent supplying member are not in contact,
• A1 represents drive torque (N·m) of the image bearing member during image formation,
• B0 represents drive torque (N·m) of the protective agent supplying member during image formation when the image bearing member and the protective agent supplying member are not in contact,
• B1 represents drive torque (N·m) of the protective agent supplying member during image formation, and
• L represents a length in a longitudinal direction (mm) at a contact surface between the image bearing member and the protective agent supplying member.